Michael shot to his feet. He wondered who was at the door. “I’ll get it.”However, his expression was grim and cold, as if shrouded in a dark cloud.Ivanka was shocked when she noticed Michael’s expression darken even further the moment he opened the door.Could it really be Alexander at the door?Just then, the person at the door began speaking in Mirvanian. “Is Ms. Ivanka here? A gentleman sent her 999 roses.”The next second, Michael angrily shouted, “Get lost!”He then slammed the door shut.Ivanka said nothing, but she seemed equally dissatisfied. Despite Alexander’s status and despite being rejected three times, he remained persistent.He even sent a text message.Alexander: Babe, can you get rid of that jerk who yelled at you? You know people say not to go back to what didn’t work. Just give me a shot. Do you want to go to the BBQ joint together tonight?Ivanka saw no reason not to consider it. If she agreed to meet him just once, Alexander might reveal his true colors
Michael relaxed when he learned that it was Ivan calling Ivanka. The frustration and anger that had welled up within him began to slowly subside. Even he was surprised by the change in his reaction.Meanwhile, Ivanka had already walked out onto the terrace. She rested her hand on the railing and said with a smile, “If you want to pursue Sandy, it can be either easy or tough, but the key is to know what she likes.”She had not expected that Ivan would make the effort to call her for advice.She would tell him everything she could, but it would be entirely up to him to successfully court Sandy.The situation between those two was rather complicated. She could not be sure if Ivan was truly willing to be with Sandy.Moreover, Sandy already had feelings for Ivan. Ivanka could only offer some advice. If they were truly meant to be together, if Ivan was genuinely willing to make amends, and if Sandy was willing to forgive him, they would most certainly end up together.But it was hard t
Moreover, after the surveillance system malfunctioned, the casino’s account received a direct deposit of thirty million within three minutes without any loss of interest.Under such circumstances, the casino was even less likely to repair that segment of the surveillance footage.Additionally, the private room had many dark corners.“Did you not follow Ivanka’s plan for the investigation?” Michael frowned and looked displeased when he heard Evan’s report.If Alexander’s identity was deliberately concealed and difficult to uncover, Tanya should not have found any trace of it either.Evan noticed Michael’s expression and hesitated. “Mr. Barkworth, I did follow Ms. Ivanka’s instructions. But Ms. Tanya was already gone after she left the casino with the man she was with. She has an alibi. However, Ms. Ivanka’s suspicions are not baseless. I was thinking... maybe you could try charming Ms. Tanya to get her to tell you something?”Michael glared at Evan sharply. The cold, piercing gaze
The image of Tanya fleeing in a panic from the private room, wearing a mask that looked like Ivanka’s, had been replaying in her mind ever since, and she could not seem to shake it off.She had a feeling that tonight’s barbecue party would be anything but simple.She pursed her lips and observed Evan, who was smiling silently. She asked, “Mr. Evan, did Mr. Barkworth invite just me, or will others be there too?”Although she did not explicitly say it, Evan understood that by “others,” she meant Ivanka.Evan responded, “Ms. Tanya, Mr. Barkworth noticed that you’re far from home and happened to bump into you at the restaurant the other day. He thought that a barbecue with more people would be more enjoyable since Barkworth’s Group and Cullen’s Group work together.”Tanya let out a sigh of relief when she heard this. She was not the only one invited to the party.“Great, please let Mr. Barkworth know I’ll be there tonight. Thanks for the invite,” Tanya said with a smile.Since it wa
Alexander knew that Ivanka was skilled in medicine. She was also certain that he knew more about her than just that.She smiled and said, “My rates are really high. I don’t treat mental health issues. Take your stuff and leave. I don’t need them!”Although she spoke with a smile, her words were cold and harsh.She was about to close the door when Alexander stuck his leg out to prevent her from shutting it.He was wearing a grayish shirt. As he stood in the light with a smile, he exuded undeniable charm and elegance.Ivanka, already irritated by his persistence, smiled and kicked his knee to target his pressure point.Although he did not make a sound, he retracted his leg in pain.Ivanka had no interest in his tolerance. She simply slammed the door.Her patience had limits. If her warnings were ignored once or twice, she would not hesitate to take action.At that moment, Alexander stepped back. Two tall bodyguards in black suits emerged from the shadows.“Prince Alexander, are
Alexander got her a black maxi dress. It was not some sort of a gown. It was just a simple dress, and it matched with the clothes he wore just now. If Ivanka were to put on the dress and go out with him, the crowd would view them as a couple in matching outfits and colors. Nonetheless, Ivanka did not mind about this. After all, she was in a stranger’s land. Once she left the country, they would not cross paths again. It did not matter as long as she could achieve her goal. After Ivanka changed her clothes, she put on exquisite makeup. Michael could not help but tease her coolly, “Be careful that you might get thwarted.” Michael saw everything when she brought in Alexander’s bouquet of flowers and clothes from outside. Ivanka chuckled casually. “Thank you for your reminder. Don’t worry. Even if I get thwarted, I won’t end up like you.” After finishing her sentence, she left the room. Right after Ivanka left, Evan entered the room. He was holding an exquisite paper bag.
As Alexander spoke, his smile deepened. He was determined to win Ivanka’s heart. “I need to take it seriously when tasting your dish, then,” said Ivanka with a smile. After all, everyone was giving a fake smile. Alexander gestured to her an “okay”. After that, he put his hand down and showed her an invitation gesture. He looked so gentlemanly. “Have a seat first. I’ll make the arrangements before it begins.” “Alright.” Ivanka smiled. She went along with his words and wishes. The next second, Alexander focused on the arrangement of the barbecue. From his back, he looked so focused. Nonetheless, Ivanka felt nothing else other than indifference. If she were still a young girl and had not seen his cruel side, perhaps she would be deceived by his pretense at that moment. Just then, Ivanka received Lark’s call. Lark said respectfully, “Ms. Lane, my companions are downstairs at the hotel where you’re staying. Could you…” Ivanka did not expect they would come over to ask he
Finally, they reached a mutual consent. Meanwhile, Tanya had reached Moon Bay. She immediately contacted Evan. Evan saw that the caller was Tanya. With Michael beside him, he was so shocked that he sneaked outside to answer her call. Tanya said, “Mr. Evan, I’ve arrived. Where are you now?” “We’re by the beach which is about…” Evan glanced at the surroundings before continuing, “300 meters from the entrance.” “Okay.” After Tanya made a sound of affirmation, she hung up. She got out of the car and headed to the location Evan had said to her. Soon, she saw Michael. Michael wore a white formal suit with black formal pants that brought out his tall and slender figure. His presence alone was a beautiful sight to behold. When Tanya saw him, her heart skipped a beat. She lifted the hem of her dress as she walked closer to Michael. She summoned her courage and called out to him, “Michael.” Upon hearing a woman’s voice, Michael’s expression instantly turned cold. He turne
Ivanka understood everything just by looking at Stella’s expression.The drinks and pastries had to be the problem. The weakness and fatigue people were experiencing must have come from consuming them. She tested them with a test strip right away.As expected, they had been poisoned.She had not eaten anything, so she was fine. But she was unsure about Vincenzo, so she checked on him immediately. Thankfully, he was unharmed.Stella let out a deep breath.Before she could say anything, Vincenzo scolded her. “You ran back here and left Njord alone? Hurry up and get back there!”“Yes, Boss!”Stella responded quickly and ran off.Ivanka was about to speak when Michael and Evan rushed in.Michael looked anxious and was breathing heavily.Just like Stella, he was panicking.“Come here. Let me check.” Ivanka nodded at him. She knew how stubborn he was.Michael pursed his lips together and hesitated.But Ivanka had already stepped forward and checked on him. His pulse was weakenin
Vincenzo immediately noticed Michael putting some distance between them.It was not out of fear but respect for Vincenzo’s status. After all, he was Ivanka’s only family.Ivanka walked straight to Vincenzo without sparing Michael a glance.Michael could only stand there and watch her leave.Back at their spot, Vincenzo remained silent. Ivanka, however, felt uneasy.She had only gone to the restroom and had not expected to run into Michael.After some thought, she decided to explain.“Uncle, I didn’t go looking for him.”“You don’t need to explain. Even if you did, that’s your choice. I’ve said what I needed to. The decision is yours.”His tone was calm, but to Ivanka, it sounded like he was upset.She wanted to say more, but Vincenzo spoke first. “Don’t blame yourself. I’m not angry. Once the banquet is over, take a few days to rest. Then we’ll head out.”“Alright.”Since he had already said that, there was nothing more to say.Caeser had hosted the banquet to trigger inte
Ivanka saw the grin on Michael’s face and immediately let go of his arm. Her expression darkened with displeasure.Michael looked like he was enjoying her frustration.“I’m not,” he denied at once, quickly adding, “I’m happy because you pulled me away. It shows you care.”Ivanka was speechless.She looked at his smiling face and shook her head. “I just didn’t want you getting into a fight with Mr. George right now. If something happened to you while I was there, I couldn’t just leave. And if I didn’t, that would make me responsible for you.”Michael frowned. “Do you really think I’m that useless?”He had fought Mr. George before and never even saw him as a threat. There was no way someone like that could take him down.“That’s not the point. Mr. George isn’t alone, but you are. This isn’t your territory, Michael. And don’t forget, the drug in your system hasn’t fully cleared, and your gunshot wound—”He cut her off before she could finish.“That injury was a long time ago. I’m
Ivanka had never revealed her identity as Violet Cress. How did Mr. George figure it out just from her treating Caeser?“Mr. Ali, I only gave Mr. Hicks a few herbal prescriptions. It was nothing special.”“Caeser has plenty of skilled doctors, yet none of them could fix his condition. You did so effortlessly. That says a lot. Anyone who can earn his trust must be exceptionally capable. Ms. Ivanka, the Ganoderma Nebula is not something just anyone can use properly, nor does everyone have your level of confidence.”At first, Mr. George had not suspected anything. But after learning about the legendary medical expert, Violet Cress, he started making connections. She was well known by reputation, yet no one had ever seen her face. He had looked into her background and found that she was probably not elderly.There was also the Ganoderma Nebula.So, he made an educated guess.Looking at Ivanka’s calm reaction, he was even more convinced. When he first mentioned it, there had been a fl
A teasing voice broke the moment, interrupting Ivanka and Michael.They turned to look.Standing before them was none other than Mr. George. It had been a while since they last saw him.Michael narrowed his eyes. He had not expected him to show up at Caeser’s banquet.“What? Didn’t learn your lesson last time?” His tone was cold and sharp.As he spoke, he stepped forward. He simultaneously shielded Ivanka behind him.They knew they were in Mirvania, and Vincenzo was nearby. No matter what Mr. George was planning, he would not dare make a move under Vincenzo’s watch.Still, Michael’s reaction was instinctive.“No hard feelings, right? Isn’t this how friendships start?” Mr. George replied indifferently. He stepped to the side and looked at Ivanka.“Friends?” Ivanka let out a sharp laugh. “Be honest, Mr. George. Do you really think we could ever be friends?”She had taken the Ganoderma Nebula. He had tried to steal it by sending his men. She had turned five of them against him a
Ivanka tried to step aside, but Michael blocked her path.The acrid smell of smoke hit her.She instinctively covered her nose and mouth.Michael saw her reaction and put out his cigarette.“If I talk through a third party and they can’t get my point across to my subordinates, wouldn’t it be better to handle it myself?”Ivanka frowned. “Is this really the time to talk about this?”She thought about pushing him away, but she decided against it.“I know it’s not. I also know you did all that to make me give up. But I won’t. It will just hurt.”His voice was hoarse and tinged with sorrow.He looked heartbroken.If this had been before, she might have felt bad for him. But at that moment, she felt nothing. She said calmly, “That’s your problem, not mine. If you want to keep getting knocked out and run around like this, be my guest.”She stepped forward and pulled out her phone.Michael knew exactly what she meant. If he kept blocking her way, she would call Njord, Stella, and t
“Alright, go back to the casino and wait for my order.”The fight between Tanya and Blake had revealed how fragile their relationship was. If Tanya thought the stranger she met at the party was reliable, she would try to leave Blake.She would have thought that she had gotten her freedom. But in fact, it was just another circle of hell awaiting her.By then, Tanya would suffer a worse fate than death.That was what Ivanka wanted to see.After all, Tanya had disguised herself as Ivanka and put a stain on her reputation for a time. Moreover, Tanya was still planning to come after her and Michael.Ivanka would not intervene in the feud between Tanya and Michael, but since she had run into Tanya at the party, she would like to settle the score between her and Tanya.“That’s your plan?”As Ivanka hung up, Vincent could not help frowning.He knew what she was up to when she had asked Njord to assign the job to a man.But the progress was too slow!Ivanka nodded with a smile. “Yeah
Tanya was not a fool.Seeing Tanya’s reaction, the man smiled calmly and said, “Seriously? He’s just your boyfriend. He can’t possibly stop you from making friends, right?”Tanya ignored him and kept walking.She reached a junction and took out her phone to book a ride. But the Hicks family’s mansion was on the hillside. Moreover, Caeser had contacted the Ministry of Transport to impose traffic control in the area. Apart from those who attended the party, no one else’s vehicle was allowed to enter.Seeing that there was not a single car around, Tanya had no choice but to walk down the hill.Blake had told her to get lost, so she would not go back to the mansion to ask for his help.She walked for about five minutes. High heels were not made for long-distance walks, and she was in a long evening gown. She held a little purse that contained her phone, lipstick, a small packet of tissues, and nothing else. Worse still, she could not tear off the long hem of her gown.Tanya had no c
What Blake said struck a chord with Tanya.Her expression was cold, and the look in her eyes was vicious.She did not even love Blake, so everything he did had nothing to do with her. She did not care if he was involved with other women.“Do you have anything else to say? I don’t think I need to be at this party for long.” Tanya averted her gaze so that she did not have to look Blake in the eye.She had made her point clear. If he did not need her around, she would take her leave for the night.Naturally, Blake knew what she meant to say.“Get lost then!”He yelled at Tanya right away. She did not even spare him a look before lifting the hem of her dress, turning around, and walking away.Blake’s voice was filled with disgust, hatred, and rage. But Tanya could not care less about how he felt.She had come to the party with Blake, who arranged their ride. The Hicks, who organized this party, had prepared a parking lot for the guests. There were cars arranged neatly across the p